St. Landry democrat., 1887-01-01
We Need IL Governor OF the
People.
Shreveport Times,

shreveport Ilnles
We have no brief in behalf OF the
anti MeEneryites, and we do not care
thrip who is elected governor OF the
State of Louisiana, OF its auditor, lts
treasurer, it's secretary OF State, or It's
encouragement. AS puoilc news
paper, seeking so far as we can, the in
terests of the whole people. and under
no obligations to any man alive, we
feel that policies and principles are
everything, and men but minor agen-
cies towards reaching results. Viewing
the political situation in this light, we
are forced to the conclusion that what
Louisiana needs is not so much some
specific John or James or William to
manage the helm of state, as man
who will be governor OF the whole
people, raising above any narrow poll
cy of prescription, and seeking, so far
as in him lies, to recognize every ele-
ment of our population. we 40 NOT
friends; we need man to be governor
OF the people.
What has injected personalism into
our politics, if it is not the practice
that now holds free sway of rewardIng
friends and furnishing enemies I Can
1t be that the people of Louisiana have
INDUCED in personal abuse OF their
| "ulers because it is the natural incllna-
ZION of the population The truth is
that a personal policy has brought per
sonal politics; this is the sum and sub
stance of the whole matter. :.
Just here it may be we'll to observe
that single instance OF non-personal-
ism in the management OF State affairs
must be taken as the exception that
proves the rule: Not as the exception
that breaks the rule. The fact that the
governor yielded up Oh the altar OF
sacrifice his Natchitoches friends,
proves nothing. Self-preservation is
the first law of nature, and politicians
know we'll how to let the poker go
when it is hot. Such action may be
taken to produce harmony in the
party :" but then there are other names
for it. 1t is sometimes necessary to
throw a child overheard to save the rest
of the family.
In Caddo parish there was elected
| early in 1886 member OF the LegIsla-
ture. He was fresh from his people;
he represented them surely as well as
Witkowski did the people Of West
Carroll. This Caddo representative
was no enemy of his eycellency, nor
was he his bosom friend; and this
| representative went to Baton Rouge in
MAY last to attend a session OF the
| Legislature. He was there two months
man who represented the very latest
expression OF opinion by the people OF
Caddo parish. Did the governor OF
Louisiana seek to consult him with re-
gard to single one of the ten appoint
ments made during the term Of service
of this representative His excellency
may have listened to this Democratic
| legislator from Caddo, but did he give
him control of Caddo appointments as
he gave Witkowski control over West
Carroll If he made a distinction be-
tween the two, can any one tell Us
why? There were senators from both
districts. The two cases are exactly
parallel What has become of the
general rule laid down in the Witkows-
XII case ?
Our esteemed contemporary, the
Capitolian- Advocate, goes back to 1884.
and quotes the action OF the governor
in the matter of police jury appoint
ments for Caddo. We are not familiar
with the facts of that politically troub:.
lous era, bnt we do know something Of
the case we have just cited. Evident
ly, the policy of the executive has
changed since the days of 1884. We
commend the fact of the Caddo legisla-
tor of 1886 to our Baton Rouge friend.
We know there is an explanation I'D
our contemporary Office for every
thing of this nature let us have it in
this case.